Pulling Through
by hartfelt
Summary: My take on Sept. 11, an event that happened to me afterwards, adn life itself.


Disclaimer: I don't own the Power Rangers I only own Dan and his wife.  
  
AN: I just had a revelation the other day and I used an incident that happened to me at an airport after Sept. 11. This is for anyone who had a few scares like I did or knows someone who may know someone else who was at one of the attack areas.  
  
PULLING THROUGH  
  
Daniel Garman made his way to the front of the line. I hope there is are still 2 seats available. "Dan Garman. I was told to come to the ticket desk to see if anyone had cancelled his or her seats." The lady checked through the records.  
  
"I'm sorry sir, nobody has cancelled. If you are in a position where you must get this flight, we can check and see if there is anyone willing to give up their seats." The lady saw him look at his wife. "Shall I make an announcement sir?"  
  
"Yes, please do. We got an urgent call to get to California as soon as possible. Thank you very much." The lady nodded and he returned to his wife. "They will make an announcement."  
  
"Dad, they are starting to load the passengers." The young man turned towards his dad and they stood up. Just then, an announcement was made.  
  
"If there are two passengers who are not in a hurry or would be kind enough to give up their seats for two people who desperately need them, we will give you two first class tickets on another flight or on an express train." The lady then went back behind her desk and sat down.  
  
The young man turned towards the desk and saw his father's boss and his wife anxiously watching for anyone who would give up their tickets. "That's Mr. and Mrs. Garman isn't it dad?"  
  
His father looked over and smiled. "Yes it is, I'll give them my ticket if they want it. Would you mind?"  
  
"Well, I told Jase, I might not make the flight so he would understand if we weren't on the flight. We can just take the express overnight train." He picked up his carry-on bag and followed his father.  
  
"Miss, we would like to give up our tickets and take the express train overnight." The older man turned towards his boss. "Looks like you got an urgent call Dan, am I right?"  
  
Dan smiled. "Yeah, our daughter had a baby and wants us there when she goes home tonight." He was handed his tickets and shook the man's hand. "Thank you so much Aaron."  
  
Aaron smiled. "No problem, I will see you at the office on Thursday." He and his son waved as the couple boarded the flight. He walked to the window after getting his tickets and wanted to watch the plane take off.  
  
"Dad, I think we should get down to the train station. The train leaves in 10 minutes and it is a 5 minute ride." He pulled his dad towards the shuttle area. He stopped dead in his tracks though as he suddenly had a bad feeling about the plane. "Dad, I just had a very bad feeling about that plane."  
  
"Me too, let's go and maybe it will go away." They got to the shuttle just in time and managed to make it to the train station with a few minutes to spare. As they neared their train platform, he turned to his son. "Try calling Jason to tell him we will not be with our luggage."  
  
"Ok, I'll give him the message if I ever get to those phones." He looked over at the line to the payphones in disgust. I wish our cell phone batteries hadn't dies on the way over here! The sudden crackle of the speaker suddenly caught his attention.  
  
"Ladies and Gentleman, we would like to inform you that yet another plane has attacked. This flight had just left our local airport for California and has crashed into the Pentagon."  
  
The young man turned towards his dad. "Oh my god. Jason will think we were on that plane!" He looked at his watch. "We will have to call him when we get home tomorrow morning."  
  
"I agree with you. But I do think we will make it to California before midnight." The older gentleman sighed. "First the Trade towers, now the Pentagon. What will happen next?" He sat down in his seat on their train.  
  
"Don't worry dad, everything will be okay. If I know Jason, he will get everyone together for a small memorial service tomorrow at the Youth Center." He sat down next to his father. "It always turns out alright."  
  
Aaron turned towards his son. "Since when did you become so good at dealing with this stuff?" I swear, he has grown so much. "Your mother would be proud of the way you turned out."  
  
The young man smiled. "I know she would. As for how I can handle this so much better is because of what I have dealt with since my freshman year of high school."  
  
Aaron stared at his son. "What happened then that I don't know about?"  
  
The young man sighed and looked at his hands. "Well, you remember the Power Rangers?" He looked at his dad and saw him nod. Well, here goes nothing. Zordon would understand. Well, that is what happened. Me and my friends were at the Youth Center when it happened and then suddenly we were in this weird room with tons of computers and gadgets."  
  
He leaned in towards his son and whispered to him. "Wait a minute. Are you telling me you were a Power Ranger?" As his son nodded, he was astonished. "How come you never told me?"  
  
"Well, we were supposed to tell nobody because of how we were just formed and how people were reacting until they got to know the power rangers." He sighed. "It was part of the whole protection thing." He looked at his father. "I'm sorry we had to lie to all of you."  
  
"That's okay. I understand. Are you still rangers? And which one were you?" Aaron was anxious to find out more but was disappointed when his son shook his head.  
  
"I can't tell you that part. I am not an active one right now but I still help out. At least until they need the rest of us. The new group is younger and so the rest of us were allowed to go to college." He leaned back and took a deep breath. He was glad to get everything out in the open.  
  
Aaron leaned back and smiled. My son, a Power Ranger. "So, what do you think your friends will do when they see that we were not on that plane?"  
  
The young man smiled. "Well, I figured we could surprise them at the memorial service. You know, just walk in and see what they do."  
  
Aaron looked at his son in astonishment. "You really grew up while you were fighting those monsters didn't you? You never cease to amaze me."  
  
The young man smiled. "I know, that's why I do what I do. I like to see your reaction." He ducked as his father tried to mess up his hair. "Careful, I don't want my hair messed up!"  
  
Aaron laughed. "Why, it will get messed up anyway by the time you wake up in California!" He sighed. Well, shall we settle in and maybe get some sleep since we will be driving from the airport to Angel Grove?"  
  
"Yeah, that makes sense." He looked at his father. "Dad, I love you."  
  
Aaron looked at his son and smiled. "I love you too son." They both leaned back in their seats and watched the television screen at the front of the train car.  
  
BACK IN ANGEL GROVE  
  
Jason pulled Trini up to the bar at the Youth Center. "Trini, I was talking with the others and Ernie. "I want to have a memorial service here tomorrow morning."  
  
She looked at him. "Okay, why pull me aside? You know I will come." As he looked down, she had a bad feeling about it. "What's wrong Jason?"  
  
He looked up at her with tears in his eyes. "The plane that hit the Pentagon was the flight Billy told me he would be on." As she gasped and put her hand to her mouth, he gave her a hug. "I'm sorry Trini."  
  
She pulled away and wiped her eyes. "I'll be alright. Can I say something at the service tomorrow?" As he nodded, she smiled. "Thanks Jase."  
  
He nodded. "I was hoping you would say something cause Kim is going to say something about Mr. C."  
  
Trini smiled and looked over at her best friend and saw the tears on her face. " Well, shall we go over and join the others? I think Kim needs some help." As Jason nodded, they walked over and gave Kim a hug.  
  
MUCH LATER THAT EVENING ON THE TRAIN  
  
"Billy, wake up! We are going to be at the station in about an hour." Mr. Cranston smiled as his son lifted his head and looked around before resting it on his arm again. "Don't make me pour water on you again!"  
  
Billy shot his head up and glared at his dad. "Don't even think about it!" As his father laughed, he looked at his watch. "Okay, we should be at the airport in about 30 minutes and back in our own home in about an hour and a half. That means it would be too late to call Trini." He looked at his dad and noticed a smirk on his face. "What!"  
  
Aaron Cranston laughed at his son. "You are all out of college right?" As his son nodded, he continued." So, if you are all out of college and moving on with your lives, then why is it that you all still live at home?"  
  
Billy shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. I plan on moving out once I get everything together and settled. Why?" He had a feeling his dad was leading up to something.  
  
Aaron held back the laugh that threatened to escape his lips. "Well, don't you think it is about time you and Trini took the next step?" He laughed as his son's face turned a deep shade of red.  
  
Billy coughed nervously and looked at his father. "Well, we haven't really talked about that yet. I don't know if she'd be ready."  
  
Aaron looked at his son in shock. "Are YOU ready? You sound like you've been thinking about it for a while." As his son's face turned red again, he smiled. "Well, you know I would love it."  
  
Billy smiled at his dad. "I know you would. I just don't want to push her to do anything she doesn't want to do." He looked out the window. "I think we can get off now." The rest of the passengers in their car were already gathering their things and heading for the doors.  
  
Aaron Cranston smiled at his son. Just like I was with his mother. "Yeah, let's catch a cab to the airport parking lot and then head home."  
  
"Okay, just as long as we both do the driving this time instead of just one of us." As his father laughed, Billy smiled. "I mean it, I don't want to have to wake you up while trying to steer the car back onto the road."  
  
Aaron laughed. "Yes father!" He stepped to the side as his son tried to smack his arm. "Alright, here's a cab, let's get the car." They got in the cab, and headed to the parking lot of the airport.  
  
"Wow, there are a lot more cars here than I thought there would be." Billy smiled. "I'll drive the first part of the way home. You get some sleep." He unlocked the doors, put their carry-on bags on the back seat and got in. While his father sat down opposite him and strapped himself in, he started the car and pulled out of the lot.  
  
"Billy, I want you to know I am proud of you. I always have been." Aaron smiled at his son. "If you ever decide to propose to Trini, let me know, I will gladly help you with the planning of the special night."  
  
Billy smiled. "Okay dad. And by the way, look in the outside pocket of my bag and take out the white bag." He watched his dad reach behind his seat and pull the white bag out of his big blue bag.  
  
Aaron opened the white bag and saw a small blue and yellow ring box. As he looked at his son's smiling face, he laughed. "You had this with you the whole time and didn't tell me?"  
  
Billy laughed with him. "I wanted to wait till tomorrow to tell you but I figured now was just as good." He took the bag out of his father's hand and dumped the box out on his father's lap. "Go ahead and open it, let me know what you think."  
  
Aaron opened the ring box and smiled. "It is lovely Billy, I believe she will love it. But what is this little carving on the inside?" He tried to see the tiny animal carved into the inside of the band but couldn't.  
  
Billy smiled. "It is her animal, the tiger."  
  
Aaron was confused. "A tiger? Why would she." It suddenly dawned on him why she liked tigers. She was the yellow ranger wasn't she?"  
  
Billy nodded. "Yes, she was. We each had a knack for wearing our colors and gathering stuff on our animals. It sort of became a habit we couldn't break."  
  
Aaron put the ring back in the box and smiled. "That would mean you were the blue ranger than right?" As his son nodded, it all fell into place. "Now, I see why you always loved the triceratops, unicorn, and wolf!"  
  
Billy laughed. "Yep, you figured it out. But, can you figure out who the others were?"  
  
Aaron thought about it and began to sort it all out. "Well, Tommy joined your group after the Rangers appeared so he must be the green and white rangers." Billy nodded and he continued. "Kim was the only other girl so she must be the pink ranger. So judging by the martial arts and colors Zack and Jason wore, Jason was the red ranger and Zack was the Black Ranger."  
  
Billy smiled and pulled into a rest stop. "Yep, that's right." He looked at his watch. "I say we take a rest stop for a few minutes and then you can drive." His dad nodded and handed him the small ring box. "Thanks"  
  
Aaron Cranston got out of the car and stretched. "I'm going to take a walk over to the other end and back." As his son waved him away, he saw a look of pure thought as his son stared at the ring box in his hand. Well, my son has finally grown up.   
  
Billy waved his dad away and stared at the blue and yellow ring box in his hand. Man, how do I do this? He sighed and opened the box. The small round diamond stared up at him from between two sets of diamonds set in a y formation on each side of the round solitaire.  
  
"Billy, just ask her and she will be thrilled. If not, she is a fool." Aaron looked at his son as he stared at the ring in his hand. When his son looked up at him, he saw tears forming. "What's wrong Billy?"  
  
Billy wiped the tears from his eyes and stood up. "Nothing. I was just thinking. What if I ask her and she says no? Then what do I do?"  
  
"Billy, she loves you, I can see it every time I see her looking at you." He nodded towards the car. Let's say we talk about this one the way home?" Billy nodded and they got back in the car. Billy was still holding onto the ring box as if he could lose it in one gust of wind. ""Billy, listen to me. Your mother said no the first time I asked her. It will be okay."  
  
Billy looked at him in shock? "She did? Do you know why?"  
  
Aaron laughed. "Well, she wanted it to be a big moment with her friends around her so she said no but to ask her when all our friends were with us." She was just like Trini so I know she would say yes."  
  
Billy smiled. "Well, in that case, I know exactly how I'm going to ask her, and when." He put the ring box back in his bag and leaned back to get some sleep. "Wake me when we get home."  
  
Aaron smiled. "I will, because you are too big for me to carry back in the house."  
  
Billy smiled. "I know I am. I wouldn't want to cause you any problems while trying to take care of me so I can do things on my own." As he closed his eyes, he heard his dad reply softly.  
  
"Thank you Billy, you always were good at making things easy for me. I love you William." He looked over at his son, thinking he was sound asleep. He was surprised to hear a soft murmur escape from his son's lips.  
  
"I love you too dad."  
  
Aaron pulled up into their driveway and woke his son up. "Billy, we're home."  
  
Billy lifted his head up and got out of the car. "That's good. I want to put this ring where I will remember it." He smiled as he and his father got their bags out of the car and headed into their house.  
  
"Billy, I will wake you up around seven, is that okay?" As his son nodded and headed to his room, Aaron locked the door and headed for his own room.  
  
THE NEXT MORNING  
  
"Billy, time to get up. There was an article in the paper about a memorial service at 8:30 this morning at the Youth Center." He smiled as his son looked up at him. "You were right about Jason."  
  
Billy smiled. "I'm always right!" He got up and grabbed the clothes he had set out the night before and headed for his bathroom to shower and shave. I can't look like hell if I am going to shock the hell out of them!   
  
"Dad! Hurry up, we have 15 minutes to get there!" Billy paced back and forth as he waited for his dad to finish brushing his teeth. He patted his shirt pocket. Yep, still in there.   
  
His dad came out of his bathroom and they headed for the car. "Let's rock and roll Billy-boy" As his son stared at him, he laughed. "I figured you would look like that after the day we had yesterday!" He gave his son a small letter. "Read this on the way over. It will help calm you down."  
  
Billy stared at his father. "I don't need to be calmed down. I just want to get there and scare the hell out of them!" He smiled as his father closed the door behind them and locked it. "Can you drive?"  
  
Aaron smiled. "Sure. You want to mentally rehearse what you are going to say to her don't you?" As his son stared at him in disbelief, he shrugged. "I was the same way when I asked your mother." They got in the car and drove to the youth Center.  
  
As they hid in the bushes, everyone filed past them and Billy took a deep breath. Once the service started, they stepped out from behind the bushes. "Well, here goes nothing dad!" Billy opened the doors silently and walked down the hall.  
  
Kim was sitting down from speaking about Mr. Cranston and Trini was walking up to the podium. As she turned and looked over the crowd, she noticed a young man standing in the doorway. She gasped and quickly covered her moth with her hand. "Oh my god."  
  
As everyone turned to see Billy and his father standing in the doorway, Kim and their friends ran up to them. "Billy, what are you doing here? Jason told us you were on that flight yesterday!" Billy wasn't paying attention because he was staring at the girl still standing at the podium. His father answered for him.  
  
Aaron gave his son a push towards the podium and stared at his friends. "We were supposed to be on the flight but my boss had gotten an urgent call and needed to be out here as soon as possible. Unfortunately, he and out wife took our seats. We took the Express train back. We thought we would surprise everyone by showing up."  
  
Billy started walking towards Trini who was still in shock when he was grabbed by one of his other friends. He was shocked when he realized it was Trini's parents. "Hello Mr. and Mrs. Kwan."  
  
"Billy, Trini was just terrible yesterday when Jason told her about the flight. She really does love you." Mr. Kwan looked at his daughter who was still covering her mouth and staring at Billy. "We'll keep everyone away from you two while you go talk to her."  
  
Billy blushed and looked down at his pocket. "Actually, I would like to ask you something before I talk to her." He put his hand in his pocket.  
  
Mrs. Kwan looked at her husband and smiled. "I think we would both agree that having you as our son-in-law would be great. I already know she would say yes Billy."  
  
Billy looked up at her in shock. "How'd you know?"  
  
Mr. Kwan smiled and patted his shoulder. "I was the same way when I proposed to her mother. We all had a long talk last night about how she felt about you. Trust us, if you go ask her right now, you will be the happiest man alive."  
  
Billy smiled and nodded. "Thank you." He turned towards Trini when Jason grabbed his arm. "Can't talk now Jase." He pulled his arm loose and walked up to Trini. "Hello Trini."  
  
She stared at him and managed to squeak out a response. "Billy?" As he nodded, she started crying as she gave him a hug. "I thought I lost you." She whispered so softly that only he could hear.  
  
Billy smiled. "Well, you'll never lose me." As she continued to hug him, he pulled the ring out of his pocket and held it up against her hand. "I love you Trini and I don't ever want to leave you again. Will you marry me?"  
  
She released him from her hug and took the ring. She didn't even notice that everyone was silent and watching them. "Of course I will Billy. I love you too."  
  
As Billy took the ring from her and placed it on her left ring finger, everyone applauded and their friends came over to congratulate them. Kim was the first to speak up.  
  
"It's about time you guys!" She wasn't even aware that her boyfriend had snuck up behind her with a gift for her. As a hand grabbed her shoulder, she twirled around. "Tommy?"  
  
He put a ring on her left ring finger and kissed her. "Here's the ring I promised you at high school graduation, if you still want it." Kim squealed and gave him a hug.  
  
"You bet I do!" She looked at her best friend and they both started laughing.  
  
Trini hugged her best friend and together they cried and laughed at their childish behavior as everyone congratulated the two new couples.  
  
THE END! 


End file.
